Strasbourg shooter killed after 48-hour hunt: minister

The shooter, who killed three people at a Christmas market in France's Strasbourg on Tuesday, has been killed, 48 hours after the attack, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner confirmed on Thursday.

Cherif Chekatt was killed in the Neudorf-Meinau district of the city, two kilometers from where he shot passers-by and stabbed people on Tuesday.

At 21:00 local time, "three police officers spotted an individual walking on the public highway. They arrested him and while he returned facing the police officers, he fired on them," Castaner said in a brief press conference.

"The police officers returned fire and neutralized the assailant," he added.

The 29-year-old Strasbourg native, armed with a firearm and a knife, opened fire several times and stabbed people Tuesday near Place Kleber and the Grand'Rue, one of the city's main shopping streets where Christmas market is held every year.

Three people were killed and 13 were wounded, including five remained in critical situation.

Chekatt, who is believed to carry out a terrorist attack, has a criminal record and was on police watch list for radicalization and potential security threat.

Following Tuesday assault, France raised its security threat level to the highest and poured additional 1,800 security forces across French cities to guarantee security in Christmas markets and ensure calm at year-end holidays.